This is Scarlett St. Clair’s best yet! The world building is so interesting with all of the religious references, and I went on a Wikipedia deep dive to understand some of the lore behind these characters. The author knows how to build up a relationship for maximum emotional investment and then rip your heart out…Esther’s storyline absolutely gutted me.

The story tackles several dark and deep themes in an innovative way. Triggers include religious trauma, parental abuse, sexual assault, and rape. Lilith was the embodiment of feminine rage, and it was so satisfying to see her journey to being able to confront her abusers.

Zahariev is definitely going on my permanent book boyfriend list. His devotion to Lilith was everything, and his morally grey side was almost black. Let’s just say he likes to be the boss in multiple settings!

There were several huge reveals at the end of the book, and I am already dying to read the next installment!

Read this if you love: urban fantasy, neo-noir mafia vibes, slow burn romance, tension & banter, animal sidekicks, he falls first, frenemies to lovers

🎧 Audiobook length: 12h 57m
🎧 Narrators: Laura Horowitz & Tristan Warden

Laura Horowitz is my favorite female narrator, and I run to any audiobook as soon as I see her credited. As usual, she did a phenomenal job voicing various characters and imbuing emotion to the written word. This is my second book with Tristan Warden, and his narration is a little too monotone for me. There are not many chapters with Zahariev’s POV so it didn’t impact my listening for this audiobook much.

Thank you to Sourcebooks, Bloom Books, and Tantor Audio for providing me with copies of this book. This review is voluntary, and all opinions expressed are my own.

This story focuses on Lilith who had such a strong personality and has a real smidge of attitude, but it’s not over the top to me but just bratty enough to make the banter feel satisfying!!

Zahariev-MY MAN MY MAN MY MANNNN!! I love when a man knows his place and stays there!! Never disappoints!!

Dual POV but mainly from the FMC pov which I really appreciated since it’s mainly her story with just a side of man! We hear from the MMC just enough to keep us interested in the romance connection!!

The plot:
Lilith is on the run from her family and has found a job being a thief but eventually that goes sideways and she ends up taking something that has powers beyond her capabilities. She has to turn to Zahariev (lol), ruler of Ninevah-the man has never been subtle in his actions and it shows when he goes out of his way to help Lilith—that’s for sure!!!

These two together are a beautiful showcase of want, of yearning and how good it can be to wait once you finally give in to the lust that overcomes you around someone you so desperately want.

I am excited for the next book to hopefully get a few more explanations (that ending?!!?!?!?!?!) and , world building since even though this book is a slow burn it picks up faster and I feel that we could have gotten more information about the world we were in, description wise!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ALC!

So I will say that overall, I enjoyed the Terror at the Gates audiobook (hello, Laura Horowitz!). I found some parts confusing and it was hard to keep some names and places straight where I would typically highlight or go back and re-read which is harder to do in the audiobook cos there’s no search function so I wish I had been able to do an immersive read.

I loved the urban fantasy setting and how Scarlett St Clair wove in religion, patriarchy, and how both tie into the use of magic in this world. I do wish the world building was a little stronger which is more apparent for me with this being an audiobook read. There are some details about the world that are presented without providing enough explanation and we are supposed to just accept as fact.

This book is mostly from Lilith’s POV with smaller chunks from Zahariev’s POV. I liked Lilith but do wish there weren’t as many damsel in distress moments that needed a man to swoop in to take care of her. I get that she didn’t want a lot of that but it was still a prominent theme and I feel that it detracts from the “feminine rage” marketing. I’m looking forward to seeing Lilith come into her own more in the next book. Loved all the side characters and need more of Coco and Cassius verbal sparring. Cherub stole every scene.

I loved the dynamic and chemistry between Lilith and Zahariev. She’s had a long time crush on him and it’s clear that he has a soft spot for her but due to society rules that prevent them from courting, they have never acted on their desires. There’s lots of forced proximity here and the build up was so worth it. Even though you have to wait for the spice, once it hits, it HITS. 🥵

No surprise, this ends on a cliffhanger. I don’t feel it’s super painful and I think St Clair sets up for book 2 nicely.

Super specific to the audiobook:
- I wish this was recorded duet vs dual
- Laura Horowitz delivers a stellar performance as always
- Tristan Ward was fine but feel his parts were at a slower pace so it took me out of the story a little whenever we switched to his voice. This could probably be just a post production thing. Not sure he was the best fit paired with Laura

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for providing a copy of this audiobook for review.

First and foremost I’d like thank NetGalley, Tantor Audio & Bloom Books for an Audio ARC and EARC of this book. I am forever thankful and my review is a honest reflection of my feelings towards this book.
This is my first introduction into the world of Scarlett St. Clair and boy was it an introduction.
I’m for sure a fan of any spin on anything religious that shows the dark side of what is holy. And in this biting, feminist retelling of Lilith’s story, Lilith will rise from the ashes of her former life to destroy the ancient power that stole everything from her…
I absolutely adored getting to know
Lilith “Lilly” Leviathan & Zahariev as they fight their attraction to each other while also facing down the threat they pose to the church,the truth and to those who want to tear it all down.
Laura Horowitz is an absolute icon in the audiobook community and knocks it out of the park bringing our fierce and flawed Lilith to life.
Tristan Warden as Zahari brought the sexy and heat that had me adding him to my new bf registry.
The plot with the church was electric and engaging that was like raging river that dragged you down. Spinning you around and around in the current that left you whiplashed in the best way possible.
Memorable , unique, & engaging and just one of the best books of 2025.
Would I recommend it?
Yes, Yes & Yes! If you love fierce FMC and a unique and badass feminist retelling, this book is for you.

As someone that was brought up “religious” and no longer identifies with organized religion, I DEVOURED this!!
Imagine mafia intertwined with magic, religious trauma, & forbidden love. OH! And such a slow burn!! I don't typically love a slow burn, but this burned so good!! I love the banter, I loved the plot - loved everything about it! The narrators did such a great job at bringing the story to life.
Scarlett said she believes this is her best book yet, and I gave to agree! I laughed, I cried - I was a roller coaster of emotions. I cannot wait to see how Lilith and Zahariev’s story unfolds and what happens in the next book!

This book has monsters, magic, romance, and dark secrets. I haven’t read anything like it, It’s captivating and has me thinking about possible storylines for book 2. Lilith truly learns how to stand on her own and won’t be afraid to say what’s on her mind. Her romance with Zahariev is a slow-burn with spice. Definitely one of my best reads this year.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/🌶️🌶️🌶️ Terror at the Gates by Scarlett St. Clair (Blood of Lilith #1)

Coming 7/8/25, available now for preorder!

This is so different, and my jaw is literally on the floor! In Eden only women get magic, but are only allowed to wield it under the supervision of their husbands. Lilith defies all the rules, and rebels against her societal standards. Being that she's the daughter of one of the most powerful men in the city makes her quite the prize, but she refuses to live under the control of any man. In a world where religious devotion is required, Lilith comes to realize everything she's been taught may not be as it seems, and it will be up to her to learn the truth of whatever terrors lurks at the gates.. the gates that separate humans from the ethereal.

⚔️Friends-to-lovers
♥️Feminine rage
⚔️Unique magic - women hold all the power
♥️Slow burn
⚔️Feline side-kick
♥️Mafia urban fantasy
⚔️Fu¢k the patriarchy
♥️Touch her & 💀

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
HANDS DOWN THE BEST FROM SCARLETT! I enjoyed the Hades & Persephone series but this one has definitely taken the cake for me!

This is officially my favorite Scarlett St. Clair book—no contest. From the moment we meet Lilith, a relic-stealing sorceress with a chip on her shoulder and vengeance in her bones, I was all in. The story has you in a chokehold by chapter one and doesn’t let up.

The whole setup gave major Warrior Nun energy—but darker, sexier, and more rebellious. You’ve got this underground city full of secrets (yes, including a strip club 😏), relic magic, religious corruption, and a heroine who’s not interested in being saved—she is the storm. There are biblical characters woven into the plot, but thankfully it never leans too heavy into religion. Scarlett walks that line perfectly.

Lilith’s dynamic with her mom had me grinding my teeth—because wow, the constant criticism and judgment? Too real. But that tension made every moment of Lilith stepping into her own power hit even harder. And the side characters?? So well-written. You feel the love surrounding Lilith. It’s found family done right, and when they ache, you ache too.

Now let’s talk about Zahariev Zareth. This man? He’s giving “drop-everything-and-bow” energy. The slow burn romance? Delicious. The way he sees Lilith—fierce, complicated, and worthy of love—wrecked me. And when things finally get spicy? BABY. 🔥🔥🔥 Let’s just say I needed a moment.

Also, quick audiobook note: I had to crank the speed to 3x because the narrator speaks slower than I’m used to, but she still sounded super clear and kept me engaged.

This book had rage, healing, tension, grief, and joy—all wrapped in magic and rebellion. It made me feel seen. If you’ve ever felt silenced, underestimated, or just done with playing nice—this one is for you.

⸻

🖤 Vibe check:
– Underground magic meets holy rebellion
– Lilith with hands and a vendetta
– Found family that actually shows up
– Slow burn that’s worth the wait
– A man who falls hard and doesn’t flinch
– Strip club spiritual awakenings?? Yes.
– That good rage-to-healing pipeline
– Fantasy that punches patriarchy in the face

Thank you Netgalley, Tantor Audio, and Scarlett St. Clair for the ALC!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Five Star read and that doesn't seem like enough!

Lilith and Zahariev are perfect! This is an absolute delicious slow burn with a tantalizing story to go along with it. The world building was so well done.

Laura Horowitz brings Lilith and Zahariev to life in beautiful way, I could listen to her read the ingredients on the back of the box and be entranced. I also really enjoyed the few excerpts from Tristan Warden at the end of the chapters!

This story absolutely become my favorite read of the year, there are so many moments that take you by surprise whether it be humourous, heart breaking, or lustful. I was constantly entertained! I absolutely can't wait to see how this story continues!

When Lilith is cast out by her powerful family, she seeks sanctuary in the hedonistic, dangerous city of Eden. With only her wits and raw magic, she scrapes by—until a mysterious, breathtaking blade changes everything..

The moment a buyer dies inspecting it, Lilith is swept into the path of Zahariev—a dangerously enigmatic man she shouldn’t want but can’t seem to resist. He is ahead of a competiting family, and if they are together war will ensue. He is trying hard to do right by her, but as all the touch and die vibes we love ❤️.
Their investigation into the dagger's 🗡 origins unravels a chilling truth: higher powers are willing to kill to keep their secrets buried. Twisting magic, sizzling banter, and slow-burn romance keep the pages flying. The mystery is rich, the world-building immersive—and that cliffhanger? Absolutely brutal in the best way.

If you love morally gray characters, forbidden loves, high tension, and unraveling conspiracies drenched in magic, this one will hook you—and haunt you until the next book.

4.5 🌟 or more for sure!!

I absolutely LOVED this book. Kept me engaged and wanting to know more. I cannot wait to get more of this story. I have felt like I’ve been in a book slump lately and this book for sure got me out of it. Highly recommend!!

Wow. Laura Horowitz’s performance is absolutely hypnotic. Rarely do I choose to re-read an audiobook but Scarlett St. Clair’s Terror at the Gates is living rent free in my mind and I can’t wait to listen again.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I liked Lilith as a character. She wants to be independent and does whatever she can to maintain that independence. She is also fierce and impulsive, which makes her relatable. I love her relationship with Coco, her friend and roommate. I also love Cherub, the cute little kitten who steals everyone's hearts. I also liked Zahariev's character. He's protective of the people who work for him as well as Lilith. I wish his point of view parts were longer and revealed more of his character. Since his snippets are so much smaller than Lilith's, I feel like I didn't get to know him well. The mysteries surrounding the gates, prophecy, and dagger were interesting, and I wanted more to happen with them. I felt like the beginning of the novel set the stage for something huge to happen with those things, but we didn't get to see enough at the end because the plot shifted more to Lilith's and Zahariev's relationship. I'm curious to see what happens next because of the last discoveries in the last chapter.

5 ⭐ 2 🌶️ 5 🎧

It's possible I have a new favorite Scarlett story. The absolute feminist rage that poured through these pages was a breath of fresh air. The anti-establishment, anti-organized religion and anti-old white men vibes were everything I was hoping for and more and I freaking devoured every moment.

Zahariev was amazing. I loved the way he was with Lilith; he knew she was an absolute bad a m f and did his best to contain her shenanigans, but also didn't hide the fact that he knew she was strong and independent and he didn't want to cage her. The tab boo elements of their age gap and him being her guardian had me swooning extra hard too.

Lilith was something else and I freaking loved her. From her bratiness, to the way she carried Cherub around like a baby had me smiling ear to ear the entire time. I adored thay she was smart and strong and rebellious without being TSTL. I think I wanna be her when I grow up.

The ending had me squealing and begging for more. I don't even know how long we have to wait for book two, but I can guarantee I'll be doing so impatiently.

The audio was fantastic. Laura Horowitz is one of my favorite fantasy narrators, she just has this perfect voice for these characters and makes it a really enjoyable listen. Tristan Warden was great as well and I loved him as Zahariev.

Thank you so much to Scarlett and Tantor for these advanced copies.

OMG??? this book was phenomenal. king of battle and blood has been my favorite book for years but this book just took its place.

the audiobook was literally AMAZING! laura horowitz has been a favorite narrator of mine and this was my first time listening to tristan warden and he was so good! They were just so great together and really brought this book to life. Ugh I seriously need to listen again because I flew through it the first time.

I will be honest, I originally didn’t want to read this book. Books dealing with religion aren’t always my jam. But I took a chance, and I’m so happy I did! I will say, this book is for those who have religious trauma. If you are super religious, this may not be your cup of tea (it still might be, but go into it with an open mind). I say this from a place of knowing. I used to be very involved with church, and had I read it then, I wouldn’t have enjoyed it. Reading it now, it hit home.

This story captivated me. I wanted to keep reading, even when I had to stop. I would read this book on my breaks at work, and it’s been a while since I have wanted to do that. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I read this book for the plot, NOT the smut! I’ve been in the mood for smutty books lately, but this book had me with the story.

If you listen to this via audiobook, Laura Horowitz does an amazing job (are we shocked?) and truly makes the story better. She sounded sad when she needed to, she sounded irritated in the right spots, and she made the intimate scenes still sound, not cringy. Her voice for the MMC was good. I didn’t cringe at it (always a feat), and she had some good voice changes for the side characters. Personally, the male narrator was just fine. Not bad, but there were moments when the inflection seemed off. But, since his parts are minimal, it wasn’t a problem for me.

Overall, this book was a 4.5 out of 5 for me! The only docked half a point because I thought the smut scenes seemed lacking or ill placed. But only slightly. Still very enjoyable overall.

This isn’t a standalone??? Now the wait for the next one begins!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bloom Books for the eARC and ALC!

Terror at the Gates 
Scarlett St.Clair
Audiobook version 

The reinvention of Lilith - an idol to all women 

Slow burn romance with a roller coaster of highs and lows that will tear your heart apart 💔 
 
Our FMC Lilith, I loved the whole backstory about Lilith and how it touched upon what we know about her within Christianity and completely rewrote Lilith into a hero instead of the villain she is portrayed to be in real life religion. Scarlett St.Clair illustrated her as such a badass which I expected nothing less - I’m so glad we was awarded a strong female lead character.

Zahariev was spectacular- his broodiness, authoritative nature and tender soft side - overall characteristic traits that meshed so well with Lilith - she needs a strong counterpart and Zahariev worked well with her. The chemisty was electric, it was on fire 🔥

Even our side characters, Coco, Gabriel, Ester 😥 just to name a few, complimented this book 📕 I hope we see more of them. 👀👀

I loved the world building. it didnt feel overly heavy and the developments fitted well throughout the book, I genuinely felt transported into a whole new world I wanted to know every little detail - I loved how even though it was a fantasy world it was very modernised which I believe helps readers to understand and integrate into the ‘Blood of Lilith’ world. I don’t wanna give away too many spoilers for this book, however everything pieced together perfectly in the end.

This is a slow burn however done extraordinary! then the magic happened and omg the spice was spicing. I was getting hot and bothered listening and giggling like a little school girl🤣 🔥 

I read this book as an audiobook form. The narrators *chef’s kiss* 😘 both voices - Laura Horowitz & Tristan Warden fitted these characters unbelievably! Both had husky low tone voices I am so glad I got an opportunity to experience this book as an audiobook.

This book ended on such a cliffhanger! I cannot wait for the next book I'm already itching for the next installment. Zahariev was awe- inspiring during the last chapter it just made me fall in love with him even more. The man couldn’t get even more dreamer 🥰

I had such high expectations with this book and it excelled greatly. Amazing work Scarlett St.Clair 👏🏻👏🏻

This was such a nice surprise. This book had not even been on my radar, but a Lilith-inspired angry female character going up against the church? Sign me right up.

I enjoyed listening to this book a whole lot, maybe even more than I have reading it because I loved the narrators’ voices. It had a serious noir vibe paired with urban fantasy setting and the pacing felt right for this universe. Even though I got sucked in right from the beginning, I didn’t get overly attached to some of the secondary characters, but came to love others as the story progressed.
Lilith’s resistance to the patriarchal world she was brought up in made her an independent character with the kind of flaws I can’t help but adore. She was not the perfect character, but who even likes perfect characters anymore?
Now let me tell you about the romance. It was hot. There was tension, banter, frustration and it all culminated in the best way. I couldn’t get enough of it.
The only thing I didn’t like was the fact that Zahariev always had to rescue Lilith in this book. It really got tiring to read about any situation turning out the same way every time. Although, to be fair, I’m expecting this will change in the second book. That ending made me want to dive into the sequel right away, so I’ll have to wait patiently until the author does her magic again.

This urban fantasy was so interesting and I really think this is a great first book in a series and it might become my new favorite series if it continues to develop well!

Lilith is an heir to the throne and we follow along her journey of finding this blade that changes the course of her life with the weird things that blade brings about. She's rebelling against the world's ideas of her/what her life should look like and is pulling away from her family so we watch her grow throughout.

Zahariev, our MMC, is a forbidden love that from the get-go wants to protect her. I wish we got more depth from him in his POVs because he did feel a little one dimensional, maybe in the next book that will grow!

We're set in a society where women are forced to be subservient and the church plays a huge role in how people live their lives. This book obviously has ties to religion but it's nothing I didn't expect considering it's a book with inspiration from the mythological Lilith. The world building felt lacking because it's developed by exploring through Lilith's eyes pretty exclusively. It progresses as the story goes on and it does make more sense later on, but I do think more world building at the beginning would have made this a bit less confusing because it does feel like you just got dropped into the middle of Lilith's life with no context.

I do have to say that Gabriel calling her babygirl the amount he does is very off-putting. It's not my favorite nickname in general but a non-love interest saying it was strange.

I was not expecting that ending!!! It has me needing the next book and I'm excited to see where this series goes!!

~I received this eARC audiobook free from NetGalley. Thank you to NetGalley, Scarlett St. Clair, and Tantor Audio. My opinions are my own and voluntarily given~

Scarlett St. Clair has done it again. This is an absolutely wonderful read and the narrators do such a good job. Lilith and Zahriev’s chemistry is unmatched. It has a really unique magic system, makes you laugh, cry and make everything in between. The blood of Lilith series is going to be huge. I seriously cannot wait to see how much it takes off. Thank you so much for the opportunity to review.